An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,  for I am gentle and humble in heart,  and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (from Matthew 11:29-30 ) “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” is one of Matthew’s most familiar promises, often heard as Christ calling the weary to rest.   Yet we should ask what burdens Jesus means, and what kind of rest he offers.   Some burdens are personal: illness, grief, job loss, and uncertainty about how to provide for those we love.   Others are social and spiritual: destructive words, unjust systems, anxious expectations, and demands that wear down the soul. Into this weariness, Jesus offers more than relief; he offers a yoke that joins us to him and teaches faithful freedom.   In Jesus’ world, a yoke could symbolize obedience to God, especially the practice of Torah. Jesus does not add another crushing demand; he offers life in communion with God, where responsib...

“Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will not lose their reward.” (Mt. 10.42) A Cup of Water You can be a flower by the side of the road. You can be a fountain for whoever passes by. You can be a lighthouse where the coast is uncertain. You can be a handrail, a park bench, an umbrella. You can be the voice that does not jeer, that calms, encourages, or thanks. ___________________ Weather Report The sky’s the limit. Led by favorable winds,  opportunities for grace will abound. Though the world is partly cloudy, expect to radiate warmth and light. With thanks to Steve Garnaas-Holmes Unfolding Light www.unfoldinglight.net

  "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground  apart from your Father.  And even the hairs of your head are all counted.  So do not be afraid;  you are of more value than many sparrows." (from Matthew 10.24-39 ) Consider the tiny Sparrow! Sparrows live in grasslands, forests, and cities. They reproduce quickly, raising up to five groups of chicks each season. Aggressive competitors, they nest early and remain for life in colonies of about forty. A male Sparrow’s black breast patch signals rank, giving higher-status males better feeding, territory, mates, and scarce food access. In Jesus’ day there were abundant sparrows which were caught, sold for a penny each, used for food by the poor, sold as food, or as temple sacrifices. So, buying two for a penny meant one was worthless. Yet in Jesus’ day, these tiny, common, cheap, birds were cared for by God. But as Jesus points out, not one falls to the ground without God’s ...

"Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;" (from Psalm 91 ) Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt stated his firm belief: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Sometimes fear comes from apparent threats, but also from real, extreme threats to mind, body, or spirit. Walter Bruggermann reminds us, “You gotta have a place where you process your fears, because if you don’t process your fears, they will devour you [and] they will immobilize you.” Psalm 91 helps form a place for processing our fears. Dwelling in the Shelter in the Most High, (Hebrew  El Shaddai ) and leaning on the fortress of God in trust is the beginning place. God’s defenses are described through vivid metaphors: protection from hidden traps, deadly pestilence, and terrors of the night, like a fierce mother bird sheltering her young. God promises that guardian...

Lake Willoughby, VT "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (From John 17:1-11 ) Lake Willoughby is the most scenic lake in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont The Lake is surrounded by mountains on either side and fed by cold springs, giving it God's natural beauty. God's gifts in this lake include camping, fishing, sailing, swimming, and ice skating. For me, though, it is more than a scenic lake. As I look across the clear water, through the mountains, and up to the sky above, I am reminded of eternal life. Jesus, however, is speaking of a different kind of eternal life. He is not referring only to something in the future. He is describing eternal life as something we share even now. Eternal life is central John’s Gospel, but modern ideas confuse a richer meaning. Jesus shows God’s love for the world desiring to draw all into God’s own eternity life, which is participation in the very ...

  "The Mooch" “I will not leave you orphaned;  I am coming to you" (from John 14:15-21 ) Have you ever experienced feelings of being lost or abandoned? This is “The Mooch” He earned that name after he appeared at the sliding door of our deck with a forlorn look. Like many feral cats, we have no clue where he came from and how he happened to choose our deck. So, being kind to cats, Elaine fed him. From then on, we could count on his appearance. Sometimes he would stay for an hour, sometimes he would stretch out and enjoy the sun most of the day. His one rule was: don’t try to catch me. One day he didn’t show up. Then he didn’t show up for three days in a row and we concluded something happened to him or he simply decided to move on in search of another deck with a sliding door. Once again, “The “Mooch” was on his own. Jesus, though, made a promise to his disciples: he would not abandon them. It’s hard to get through life without experiencing feeling lost...